


Keep your Distance

by Purple_Martin



Series: Charlie and Danse [1]
Category: Fallout (Video Games), Fallout 4
Genre: Comfort, Developing Relationship, F/M, Fluff, Friendship, Literal Sleeping Together, they're a little stubborn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-04
Updated: 2018-01-04
Packaged: 2019-02-28 01:26:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,166
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13260711
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Purple_Martin/pseuds/Purple_Martin
Summary: Charlie had been so focused on not allowing herself to become attached that it hadn’t occurred to her that maybe Danse had been fighting the same feelings.





	Keep your Distance

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Magpie_XIII](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Magpie_XIII/gifts).



_****I'll give you everything I am,_  
_All my broken heartbeats.  
Until I know you'll understand_.

_distance, christina perri_

Crystals crept along the outer edges of the window as the wind rattled the frame. In the stillness of the night, the quiet crackling of icy tendrils stretching across the grimy glass could be heard. Beyond the rickety panes, mist rose from the terra, blanketing the settlement in unnatural silence. Soft, muffled sounds of brahmin jostling in the distance carried upon swirling fog. Stars peeked through the haze of shifting cloud cover and frozen droplets clung to blades and barren branches. A shimmering kaleidoscope that sparkled in the shafts of muted moonlight.

A rare moment of solitude captured amongst the chaos of the wasteland, except Charlie couldn’t stifle her scream fast enough as she jolted awake. Cold rigor forced her upright, tightened her muscles and claimed her body for its taking. It gnarled and contorted her joints, locked her limbs up in spasms of desperate shaking and rendered her helpless to her sobbing. Caught in limbo between the realm of nightmares and the land of the living, she shook, vulnerable and exposed to the frigid air seeping through the pores of the makeshift dwelling she had shacked up in.

Visions of the vault choked her mind, hazy granules smearing her reality with images of her husband murdered and her baby snatched away. Frosty plumes puffed from her lips within her glacial cocoon. Trapped, no matter how hard she struggled or flung her limbs against the glass. Her shouts split the air if only to land upon deaf ears.

 _It’s not real_ , Charlie tried to convince herself.

But it was. The cold was all around her, tethering her within frozen isolation.

“Soldier?” The darkness breathed, slow and heavy with not-quite-wakefulness.

It was too late to smother her cries and settle her trembling but still she pressed her palm over her mouth and rocked away the fear that fluttered within her chest. Floorboards creaked with the movement of her Paladin coming to her aid. Through her frozen fingers, Charlie cursed for not being able to hide her nightmares fast enough.

The winter had been grueling. Long nights bivouacking in the field during the frigid northeastern winter had led to sleepless nights filled with night terrors. Even though she tried her best to keep her irrational fears tucked away, Charlie suspected Danse knew. The nightmares hadn’t affected her performance in the field and she knew he understood, so he had allowed her to deal with her demons in private.

“Charlotte?” ancient coils squeaked their protest beneath Danse’s weight as he sat, “What’s the matter?”

“I-I-” her words were choked by vicious chatters. Unable to answer or even form words, her body rebelled against the cold and she collapsed to tug at the blanket and pathetically rub at her arms.

“The cold,” Danse pulled at the threadbare covers and Charlie was surprised to feel the warmth of his hands mingling with the meager heat from her own body, “it bothers you?”

All she could manage in response was to stare, weeping stupidly from over her quaking shoulder because not only had he said her name but he _touched_ her.

She was greeted by pools of warm brown, with the desire to help burning from within their infinite depths. Sat just behind her, Danse had shed his standard issue in favor of sweatpants and a hoodie. His hands gently stroked her arms attempting to rub heat back into her body with the friction of his skin against hers.

The feeling of warmth and his nearness had her inching closer, desiring to lean back and be caught against the vast refuge of his chest. To ebb into the heat of his body pressed against hers, swept away by the inferno that was her Paladin.

Quiet understanding unfurled in his eyes and the deep set of a frown cast upon his features. His heavy brow shadowed his face from the moonlight sifting through the window. Fine lines creased around his eyes and wrinkles in his forehead carved in constant concern. Was he worried about her? Charlie had been so focused on not allowing herself to become attached that it hadn’t occurred to her that maybe Danse had been fighting the same feelings.

Charlie’s heart stuttered with her unsteady breathing; the way his big brown eyes melted away the ice within her bones, it certainly seemed like he cared. Not just as her superior or mentor or even as her friend, but maybe something more.

“I’m sorry,” she muttered an apology, wiping at her eyes and feeling the last of the shakes settle with each fraction Danse unconsciously drew her closer.

“It’s alright,” the whisper of his breath across her cheeks set her face aflame, “I understand.”

“Danse…” her fingers reached to capture his within her own, to claim his hands her prize.

The heat of his gaze intensified, eyes liquid pools of the deepest brown. He shifted closer as if to pull her to him, encase her in the warmth and strength of his embrace. Suddenly his advance halted, as if becoming aware of the space, or lack thereof, between them. The veil of stoicism came over Danse once more with his quick retreat.

Before he could even stand, Charlie caught his wrist, “Wait, d-don’t go. Please.” It seemed she wasn’t above begging at this point. She just wanted to feel safe and warm, and maybe, just maybe, Danse could provide that. “Just having you close helps.”

His gaze fell to where Charlie’s hand held him captive. For a moment, his eyes lingered there before his expression softened and once more she was rewarded with those warm brown eyes, burning her with a well of heat, “Alright. I suppose it would reflect poorly on me if I allowed my soldier to die of hypothermia.”

Again, Charlie could only stare as Danse reached across the cramped space to grab the blanket from his own mattress. Dumbfounded, she couldn’t believe he was going along with it.

She quickly scooted over, making room before Danse had time to second guess his decision. He threw his blanket atop hers and settled beside her, pulling up the covers as she eased herself against the pillow.

Heat fluttered in her belly and tingled across her skin. “Thank you,” she breathed, too afraid to look at the man beside her and disturb the moment. Fearful that even speaking would shatter Danse’s rationale and he would come to his senses and leave.

“This is only for tonight.” His voice was just as unsure as hers but at least he wasn’t hightailing it out of there.

Charlie lay beside him, shoulders just barely touching, and she stretched her fingers to brush just against his and to her surprise, Danse didn’t pull away. Rather, he intertwined his fingers ever so slightly with hers. Content for now to just have him close, she smiled because for the first time since leaving the vault, Charlie felt _safe_.


End file.
